FC Dallas to meet CF Montreal for first time since 2020

FC Dallas look to build on their successful start to the season when they host CF Montreal on Saturday in a renewal of the interconference series in Frisco, Texas.

It will be the teams' first meeting since 2020 and just the 10th overall. The Toros have five wins in the series and just one defeat.

Dallas opened the season in splendid fashion, defeating visiting San Jose 2-1 on Feb. 24. Asier Illarramendi had the Toros' first goal -- and the first of his MLS career -- and homegrown Dante Sealey found the net in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time to produce the victory.

FC Dallas won that match despite playing without star forward Jesus Ferreira (left thigh) and midfielders Paxton Pomykal (left knee) and Tsiki Ntsabeleng (visa issues). All three could see the pitch on Saturday.

The Toros' splashy offseason signing, Croatian striker Petar Musa, is also in the fold after work visa issues were sorted out, and he could also see some action.

"The mentality of going for the second game, get three points and get six points out of six is good," FC Dallas coach Nico Estevez said about Saturday's match. "It also is an opportunity to keep growing in what we are building and how we want to play the style of play."

Things did not go as swimmingly for Montreal in its opener. The team settled for a scoreless draw at Orlando City on Feb. 24 in the debut of coach Laurent Courtois.

Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots to record his 12th career clean sheet.

"The result characterizes how we want to be known," Courtois said after the draw. "In some stretches we produced some quality play. We deserve this point, and we're proud of what we've achieved. It is a deserved clean sheet."

The contest is the second of six-match road stretch to open the season for CF Montreal.